Hit Man
by shadowblade-tara
Summary: Pt. 1 of Dangerous Alliance. FLAG is not the only organization that uses black ops. The Institute operates on the fringes of the law, but what dark secret does its agent hold? Michael and Kitt have to find out, before it kills them.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Knight Rider © Glenn Larson. All non-recognizable characters and organizations belong to me. Please don't use them without my permission.

**Dark Alliance: Hit Man**

The Institute was a small, square-ish building in the middle of the busy downtown area of the city. The walls were whitewashed and bare except for a small, black-lettered sign by the door that read **Institute.** Only people who knew about the place ever went there. It wasn't even the real location of the Institute – just a front to keep people guessing.

Sometimes the Institute operated with the law. Most of the time it didn't. Crime bosses had deeper pockets than government officials did. This time they were with the law, if only briefly.

The inside of the building was really nothing more than a hollowed-out shell. There were no furnishings, nothing to make it hospitable. Three people were in the room. A tall, thin man stood by the door, sharp blue eyes guarding the only exit from the room. Brown hair cut neat and trim, clothing designed to blend in. He was a spy and an assassin, whichever the Institute had more need for. There were others like Dmitri, but he was the best as far as skills were concerned.

Standing in the center of the room was a short, squat man with thinning grey hair and dark brown eyes. He wasn't dressed as a business man, although that's what he was. If anything, he looked more the part of a street thug than Dmitri did. He was known simply as the Director, which was something of a misnomer. The true leader of the Institute – the entire reason the Director existed, the reason he had created the Institute and everything it stood for – was sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of him. It wasn't always the profit, and if the Director was in an honest mood, he would freely admit it.

A lot of it was simply the joy of being someone's mentor, and the young woman was the perfect pupil.

Long dark hair hung in a braid to the small of her back. Her eyes were a clear amber and currently locked with the Director's. Her long, slim body was clothed in a black tank-top, black low-rider jeans, and black boots. Her only visible accessory was an amethyst pendant she had been given not too long after the Institute had taken her in. No one had questioned where it came from. The Director had the distinct impression he already knew.

The Director was dangerous because he had power. The young woman was dangerous simply because of who she was and who she allied with. She smiled at the Director, and he smiled back. "So what do we have today?" she asked.

"An outside case, Connor." the Director replied gamely. "A few hundred miles away, a man by the name of Corey Matthews is smuggling in illegal firearms and selling them to the highest bidder. He's creating a lot of chaos for the locals, if I read the reports correctly."

Connor grinned. "And we care – why?"

"State-of-the-art sniper rifles." the Director said. "I think they have a few standard machine guns – the M16 and the AK-47, to be precise – and the sniper rifles are being sold underneath. Last I checked, they were Savage 10FCP McMillans." He smiled as Connor's eyes lit. "I thought you'd like adding one of those to your collection."

"Do you want me to take them out while I'm at it, or just get a gun?" Connor asked.

"Taking them down would be preferable. No point in getting a good weapon if you aren't the only one who has it, am I right?" he chuckled. "You'll be working with the local cops on this one, but that's a good start for your first solo mission. If something should happen, they'll back you up."

"We're more than ready." Connor assured him.

"That's what I'm afraid of." Dmitri muttered, speaking up for the first time.

Connor shot him a dirty look. "We're ready. We've trained for ten years for this."

"Yes. And during those ten years, you've changed." Dmitri pointed out. "He won't let you out of his sight now, will he? You check in on him every ten minutes to make sure he's still there. As far as I know, you still sleep in his cabin." The disgust in his voice was evident. "I wonder how your unique relationship will affect how well you perform."

"I have no doubt they will perform remarkably well." the Director said mildly. Dmitri shut up. Connor sighed and got to her feet.

"Is there anything else I should know?" she asked.

"He'll fill you in on the way."

Connor nodded and walked past Dmitri, exiting the dark building in favor of the bright midday sun. A black Ferrari Enzo waited for her on the curb. Connor smiled warmly as she slid into the driver's seat. "Looks like we're playing the good guys this time, Karr."

Lights flashed on the dash as the car activated. A deep, masculine laugh filled the cabin. Connor was probably the only one to ever hear that laugh. "Inasmuch as we are ever the good guys." Karr retorted gamely. "So, where has the Director sent us this time? Hopefully somewhere away from this city. I know the streets like my own processing units."

"Far enough." Connor assured him. "Madison County, a city called Sarasota. Apparently we're supposed to put an arms dealer out of business."

"And the fact that they're selling the one sniper rifle that you don't have means absolutely nothing?" Karr couldn't hide the amusement in his voice.

Connor grinned. "I always have ulterior motives. As you well know."

"I taught you well." Karr commented proudly. "I've plotted us a course. It should take us only six days if we go nonstop."

"Six days it is." Connor agreed. "Let's get this done."


	2. Chapter 2

**chapter two**

It was one of the various charities Devon always hosted that Michael was always suckered into attending. He stood in one corner of the room, tugging at his suit and looking distinctly uncomfortable. For once, Bonnie wasn't there to keep him company. Devon had given her time off to attend a conference somewhere very far away from Sarasota. He was tired, uncomfortable, and _bored out of his mind._ It didn't help that he didn't have his comm. link, so he couldn't even chat with Kitt. Devon had thought that depriving Michael of his one means of escape would force him to socialize with everyone else. Even Kitt had told him that one wouldn't work, although that might have been more of an effort to keep the comm. link with his driver than anything else.

Both of them got nervous when he didn't have it.

Something caught his eye, and suddenly he couldn't help but stare. And grin. Honestly, it was just too funny. Amid all of the pastel silk and white lace dresses, he could see a young woman wearing a short red dress with a black-lace overlay. Her heels had to be at least three inches high, stilettos, and very clearly goth. Her hair was being kept in a tight braid, and not a hint of makeup adorned her face, but even with all the women Michael had seen, he knew she wouldn't be easy to forget.

Not because of the odd dress, but rather her amber eyes. That wasn't a shade one saw on a regular basis.

He watched as she said something to the man gently holding her arm. He frowned and shook his head. She made a show of pouting, but something wasn't quite right. Michael couldn't say for sure without knowing the question, but apparently the answer was just what she wanted to hear, she just wouldn't say that to her date. Another woman in a white velvet dress slid past the goth and took her date onto the dance floor. Michael wondered briefly if it was worth getting into a fight just so he could talk to the goth. Her boyfriend was now currently occupied, and while he didn't make a habit of hitting on other men's girls, she might give him the conversation he needed to kill the boredom.

His eyes followed her as she made her way to the punch bowl, right next to where Michael was standing. His grin got all the bigger. That was absolutely perfect. "Heck of a party." he commented as she came to a stop next to him. She flashed him a tired grin and leaned against the table.

"That's one way to phrase it." she muttered.

Michael laughed. "Not your scene, huh?"

"Can you tell?" came the sarcastic response. "If I had realized this is where he wanted to show me off, I would have told him to stuff it."

Michael gave her an odd look. "Show you off? Somehow, that doesn't sound very nice."

The woman laughed. "Oh, it's not like that. He needed a date for this whole thing, so I came with him. Now he owes me one." She smiled. "I take it this isn't your scene, Mr . . ."

"Michael Knight." he introduced himself, shaking her hand. "And no Mr. in it."

"Michael." she greeted him. "I'm Connor. My temporary date is Jacob Myers. I don' t know if you know him or not."

"Heck, I hardly know anyone here." Michael admitted. "See the older gentleman chatting up the ladies? That's my boss. He's the only one I know here, and the only reason I'm here." He waved at Devon as the older man glanced over at him. Devon smiled politely and went back to his conversation. Michael chuckled. "Devon has an Englishman's sensibilities, so you'll have to forgive him."

Connor tilted her head to the side. "I'm guessing those sensibilities don't include girls with a gothic flair?" she teased lightly. At that moment Jacob showed back up, giving Connor and Michael an odd look. She turned her focus to him. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yes." he said. "My turn to pay you back." He smiled politely at Michael. Connor flashed the FLAG driver a dazzling smile.

"I guess I'll see you around." she said.

"Definitely." Michael agreed, watching them leave with a faint wistful expression on his face. As soon as they were out of earshot, Jacob turned on Connor.

"What were you thinking?" he hissed.

"Hey, he started talking to me." Connor shot back. "Why didn't you tell me the Foundation for Law and Government was hosting this little party of yours?"

"Because no matter what the local LEOs say, I know a collector when I see one." Jacob explained bluntly. "You're going to take Matthews out, earn points for a good service, but once everyone's backs are turned, you'll take whatever it is you want from Matthews. I know – I've done it before. So if I told you, you would have run."

"Not likely." Connor mused. "I just would have avoided the punch." She glanced at Jacob. "Are you still going to introduce me to Matthews?"

"I told you I would."

"Good." Her hand reached up to touch the ear piece she always wore. There was a slight static noise, and then Karr's voice came in clearly.

"_Be careful, Connor. You've gotten his attention now."_

Connor nodded, ignoring the odd look Jacobs was giving her. "I know. Completely unintentional, I assure you." All hints of teasing were gone from her voice. This was the same organization that tried to kill Karr on numerous occasions. Despite everything, Connor liked Karr. She cared about him. Nothing was going to happen to him on her watch. "He doesn't have Kitt with him, does he?"

"_Kitt is in the parking lot, but Knight doesn't have the comm. link."_ Karr responded. _"I'm far enough away that he can't scan me."_

"Good. I'm going to ride with Jacob. Follow us at a safe distance, and when the meet is done, pick me up. I'll tell you where."

"_I'll be waiting for it."_

Connor rolled her eyes. Yes, Karr would be waiting for it. He would also be not two feet from their meeting place the entire time, no matter what she told him. Karr had never cared about humans, from what she understood. In fact, she was probably the only human who had the honor of being called Karr's friend. He took his responsibilities to her a bit obsessively. She was used to it by now.

In the parking lot, Karr kept most of his scanners focused on the black Trans-Am that was just slightly within range. He hadn't realized those two were there, otherwise he wouldn't have let Connor anywhere near the place. They were going to be trouble. He knew it.


	3. Chapter 3

**chapter three**

Corey Matthews wasn't much to look at. He was shorter than Connor, messy blond hair and cloudy green eyes, like he was stoned or something. He wore a grease-covered shirt and jeans, but his hands were reasonably clean when they shook hands. Connor had dropped her good-girl routine. Matthews didn't need it. "I hear you're the go-to guy for weapons." she said bluntly.

Matthews shrugged. "That all depends on what kind of weapons you're looking for." he said, his voice low and slightly slurred. Connor's eyes narrowed. This better not be a set-up. If it was, she was going to have to kill the boy, or at the very least maim him. "I mean, anyone can sell you handguns and shotguns and the like."

"I'm talking about sniper rifles." Connor's voice had taken on a hard edge, a tone that Karr was more familiar with than anyone. Karr had noticed long ago that Connor had the natural ability to take on the personality that others expected of her. When she had been with Knight, she had pretended to be nothing more than a clueless, attractive woman. With Matthews, she was letting a bit more of who she really was show through. "Savage 10FCP McMillians. The good stuff."

Matthews looked Connor in the eye for the first time. His eyes never cleared, but his voice was suddenly sharper and more distinct. He had been playing a role as well. "You have done your homework."

"Would I be here if I hadn't?" By now Jacob had cleared out, leaving Connor at the garage with Matthews and Karr parked around the corner. Karr did a scan on the building.

"_This isn't where he's storing the guns. He must have another location where he makes his sales."_

Connor had to keep from rolling her eyes. She could have told Karr that. He'd be stupid if he held his meets in the same place he held his sales.

"Okay, so what are you after?" Matthews asked, finally deciding it was all right to make the sale.

"I want fifty of them." Connor said. "How much will that cost me?"

"Half a million." Matthews said without missing a beat. He had his prices already laid out. Figured – he'd been at this for a while. "I'm willing to negotiate the price if you can offer me something worthwhile in exchange for the guns."

"Not above having people owe you favors, huh?" Connor commented, stalling for time. "Smart in this day and age."

"Very smart. I've gotten out of quite a few scrapes that way." Matthews gave her a hard look. "So which is it going to be?"

"Twenty-five thousand and a favor." Connor immediately shot back. "The only thing I won't do for you is assassinate anyone too high up the political ladder."

Matthews laughed at that. "That's all right. I don't do politics anyway." He pulled out a slip of paper and scribbled something on it. "Meet me at that address in ten days. I'll have your weapons and the favor. Just make sure you have the cash."

"I will." Connor took the slip and walked away, rounding the street corner and sliding into the Ferrari. "Well, what do you think?"

"I think that went too well." Karr grumbled. "What kind of favor would he want from us?"

"If it was me, I'd have a few get-out-of-jail-free favors stashed away." Connor admitted. "Don't worry too much about it. He won't hurt us if we play our favors right."

"You want to recruit him?"

"Wouldn't you rather have him with us than against us?" Connor shot back.

Karr sighed. She had a point. "Would you believe me if I said I had a bad feeling about this?"

Connor gave the dash an odd look. "I thought you didn't get feelings."

"This time I am." Karr hesitated, but only for a moment. "You got Knight's attention. Sooner or later, we're going to show up on Kitt's radar. If they find out I still exist, they'll come after me."

"I won't let them hurt you." Connor snapped, her hands tightening on the steering wheel as they pulled away from the curb. "You know that, Karr. You don't have to be afraid of them. I'm not above solving my friend's problems from 500 yards away."

Karr chuckled at that. "I know. That's the problem. If they find out you're my driver, they'll come after you too. This partnership is mutual, no matter what the Director says."

A smile curved Connor's lips. "Oh, I know exactly what the Director says. What did he expect when he paired us together? That we would hate each other?"

"I think he was hoping for us to remain indifferent." Karr said. "After all, I hate humans and you have no reason to trust anyone considering your past. It would have been perfect."

Connor didn't say anything for a moment. "Everyone has to trust someone, Karr. That's what made us perfect. I don't trust humans – you aren't human. People in power scare you – I had no way to hurt you. I don't think anyone at the Institute realized just how perfect we are for each other." She patted the steering wheel. "Let's go update the cops. In ten days, I'll have my gun, they'll have their arms dealer, and we'll be out of here so fast the Foundation won't know what hit them."

/---/

"Michael, you were saying something about a goth girl at the party?" Kitt asked suddenly. They were in the process of parking in the police station lot, and Kitt had been mostly silent the entire ride. Then again, Michael had been debating between being pissed off and being extremely relieved. The local LEOs had called Devon asking for a hand with a particularly troublesome drug ring. On the plus side, Michael no longer had to worry about the next three parties Devon was throwing. On the down side, he had asked for time off. Looked like he wasn't going to get it. Kitt had picked up on his mood and for the most part respected his partner's need to silently fume. Now he had Michael's slightly distracted attention.

"Yeah." he said. "Why?"

"I think I see her. What is she doing at the police station, and driving a car like that?"

Michael looked over, and he had to grin. The sleek black Ferrari Enzo seemed to fit the image she made, but he wasn't sure that was the girl he had flirted with earlier in the day. She had changed clothes, maybe that was it. She looked harder in the black cargo pants, torn black longsleeve shirt, and scuffed up black boots, more dangerous. But she had the same amber eyes. It had to be her. "I have no idea. Maybe her boyfriend works here."

"You were flirting with a taken girl?" Kitt demanded.

"If she is, I didn't know it at the time." Michael protested. "She never said anything. Still, someone like that does not stay single for long." He paused, then climbed out of the car. "Keep your scanners peeled, buddy."

"I will, Michael. Be careful."

"What's the worst that can happen at a police station?" Michael protested lightly.

"You don't want me to answer that."


	4. Chapter 4

**chapter four**

Connor hated cops. They always insisted on doing background checks, and that usually led to a whole host of questions she really didn't want to answer. Connor hadn't always been her name, although she couldn't remember what she had been born to. Ironically enough, it had been Karr who named her. Karr thought it funny that she kept finding books on wolves, even back when she couldn't read. She loved the pictures. So he called her Connor – the lover of wolves.

It actually fit her well if one thought about it. After all, what was Karr but a wolf in sheep's clothing?

So when she had gone to work with the Sarasota police force, she had expected an interrogation. Now that she had successfully avoided awkward questions from the cops, she realized that Michael Knight had just walked into the precinct.

Someone shoot her now.

"_Connor."_

"I see him." Connor whispered. "Is the car with him?"

"_Yes. Unfortunately, I'm within his range. I doubt he'll realize who I am just yet, but he will suspect I'm AI."_

Connor hissed between her teeth. This wasn't good, not at all. "Give me five minutes to get past Knight and we'll get out of here. This is getting too close for comfort."

"_You have three, then I'll come and get you."_

Connor rolled her eyes. "You take this job way too seriously."

"_I'd like to keep you around for a while."_ came the dry response. Connor simply laughed silently at him. Right now she had better things to do than harass Karr. Although that was fun.

She turned her attention to the problem at hand. Knight was standing between her and the door and not showing any signs of moving. He was currently talking to one of the cops, and unfortunately, he kept glancing at Connor as they spoke. He knew she was there. Quite possibly the 2000 had scanned her as she went inside, but that thought was almost as disturbing as a coincidence. Whatever he was doing had nothing to do with the arms dealers, she hoped. She would like to think that the local LEOs were smart enough to let her know when another undercover operative was moving in on her case. She might just shoot him by accident.

Or she'd shoot him on purpose. Ease Karr's mind, at any rate.

Michael noticed exactly how nervous Connor seemed. Either she hated cop precincts, or she was wary of Michael himself. He hadn't given her a reason to fear him, or so he thought. He turned to the cop he had been talking to. "So what's Connor doing here?" he asked, keeping his voice as casual as he could.

"She's working the arms dealer case." the cop said darkly. "Getting paid a pretty penny to do it too. Woman's an extortionist."

Michael hesitated. "She charges?"

"That's what I said." the cop shrugged her shoulders. "Her excuse was she didn't work for a nonprofit organization." She flashed Michael a smile and turned to walk away. "Be careful around her. She's doing a good job, but I don't trust her as far as I can throw her."

Michael waited until she was out of hearing range. He raised his comm. link to his mouth. "Hey, Kitt?"

"_Yes, Michael?"_

"Run a check on Connor." he instructed. "Take a photo of her as she leaves and run a facial recognition on it. I want to know who exactly she is and what she's doing."

"_You make it sound like she's a criminal."_ Kitt said reasonably. _"Is there something else I should know?"_

"Call it a gut feeling." He smiled as he heard Kitt groan. "I'm heading farther in. She should leave as soon as I'm away from the door."

"_On it, Michael."_ Kitt waited patiently, keeping some of his scanners focused on Michael. He watched as Michael moved farther into the station, and true to Michael's gut feeling, Connor exited the building as soon as there was enough space between them. Kitt took a picture as she exited the building. He had to admit, he could see what Michael found so appealing with this one. She really was attractive, as far as humans went. Kitt watched as she slid into the Ferrari, and a sudden, horrible suspicion overtook him.

Kitt knew Connor was in contact with someone through a comm. link. Time to find out exactly who it was. He did a quick scan of the car.

Michael joined him three minutes after the Ferrari left the parking lot. "Did you get the photo?" he asked as he slid into the driver's seat.

"And then some." Kitt said quietly. "I don't know who Connor works for, but they have to be incredibly rich and talented."

"How do you figure?"

"The Ferrari has an MBS very similar to my own." Kitt said. "And I detected the presence of an AI."

Michael froze, his hands hooked on Kitt's steering wheel. "Kitt – is there any chance – "

"I don't know. There was something in the MBS that kept me from doing a complete scan." Kitt said apologetically. "I have a feeling we'll come across them again soon. Whoever they are."


	5. Chapter 5

**chapter five**

"Kitt scanned me." Karr said tightly. Connor pressed her foot harder against the gas pedal and watched as the speedometer edged closer to 150 mph. She didn't say anything. There was really nothing to say. Either FLAG knew who they were or they didn't. It all depended on just how paranoid of Karr Kitt was. "If he tells Knight who I am, they'll track us down." Karr continued, completely ignoring Connor's silence. "You should probably go back to the Institute if that happens. I doubt they'll ever find you with the protection the Director can provide."

Connor's eyes narrowed. "Are we not partners?"

"Yes." Karr only seemed slightly taken aback.

Connor continued. "Do partners not share everything?"

Karr knew where this was going. "Connor, this has nothing to do with trust." he snipped. "Do you not realize how far I'm willing to go for you?" It was as close to a confession of friendship as Karr could get. He simply could not bring himself to admit out loud what obviously existed between him and the young human woman he was letting drive. As if speaking the word out loud would jinx it, and he couldn't afford to lose what he had just now gained. He had no idea it was possible to trust and care for a human, and yet he trusted and cared for Connor.

At first it had been only tolerance of a young child's curiosity. Then it became something more.

Connor sighed. "I know." she said quietly. "What I need you to get through your thick processor is that I'll do the same for you. You're the only one I got." She reached out and patted the dash. Probably looked stupid to passing drivers, but Connor had stopped caring what people thought around the same time she realized her biological parents would kill her if they thought they could get away with it. "So, ignoring the fact that having FLAG involved certainly complicates things, tell me a bit about this drug ring Sarasota has."

Karr seemed relieved at the change in conversation, although Connor was probably the only one who heard it. His voice was as cold and bland as ever, although now it seemed more habitual than forced. "It's small time, but enough of a hassle to annoy the cops. They deal in cocaine, heroin, hash, the things smuggling rings are made of." He hesitated, taking in the smirk that spread across Connor's face. "Don't even go there."

"What did I do?" she demanded, the picture of innocence.

"Don't bring that song into this." Karr warned.

"I thought you liked that song." Connor protested. "Besides, that wasn't on my mind, although now that you mention it – "

"What was on your mind?"

Connor grinned. Karr hated '80s music. "I was thinking that maybe we could get some of the action on the drug ring as well as the arms dealer. Take out one while dealing with the other."

"The cops could find us."

"And we'll disappear into the woodwork and no one will know." Connor said easily. "Come on, Karr – it'll be fun!"

Karr sighed. Sometimes he highly suspected the Director really had no idea how well his 'training' had worked on Connor. Still, she had a point. It was fun to run circles around the pathetic little humans. He would just have to make sure no one ran circles around them. "All right. So what do you have in mind?"

"I don't know yet." She leaned back in the seat and pushed the 'Auto' button. Karr gratefully took control. "But I'll think of something. I always do."

"I don't doubt it." Karr murmured. "So what do you want to do about FLAG being involved with the drug ring?"

Connor flashed the dashboard a bright grin. "If it's fun running circles around the cops, won't it be even more fun running circles around the Foundation for Law and Government?" she pointed out. "Let's show them exactly what the Institute is made of."

/---/

"What do you mean, you can't find anything?" Michael demanded.

"That's just it. There is no file for Connor that matches the photo I took." Kitt said, sounding slightly frustrated. "The closest I could come to the photo were a missing person's report and a few cop records from a city a few hundred miles from here."

"Okay, let's start with that." Michael said, taking a deep breath. This really wasn't looking good.

"A young girl named Dakota Avery disappeared when she was six years old." Kitt announced, bringing up the flyer that had obviously been designed by a concerned citizen and not a cop. "The police weren't even sure if that was the girl's real name. There was no record of her birth, medical history, school attendance – nothing. The teacher who reported her missing said she always responded to the name, but if you asked her she wouldn't tell you what it was. The teacher said there was extensive bruising across the girl's back, shoulders, and sometimes on her face." There was a pause. "Michael, what does that mean?"

"It means the girl was abused." Michael's voice was tense, his grip on the steering wheel almost painful. Kitt mentally shrank back from the barely concealed fury in his driver's voice. "Small wonder she didn't tell anyone her name. She probably was never given one."

"Who would want to hurt a child?" Kitt wondered.

"Usually in cases like that it's the parents' doing." Michael said, his voice calmer but still dark. "So what do we have on the name Connor?"

"Aside from the meaning of the name? Nothing." Kitt seemed to sigh. "There are simply too many people with that name. Without a last name, we don't even have an alias."

Michael sighed. "So what does Connor mean?"

"Lover of wolves. It's Gaelic, if I understood correctly."

Michael hesitated, letting Kitt steer for the most part as they made their way through the busy city. "Lover of wolves." he murmured. "I wonder." He fell silent again. Kitt didn't press him. After a moment, he said, "Assuming the Ferrari is Karr, that would be perfect. Karr might as well be a wolf."

"The question is, who's more dangerous – the wolf, or the one who willingly allies with the wolf?" Kitt pointed out dryly. Michael reached out and touched the dash fondly.

"That is the question, isn't it?" he murmured. "We'll figure it out eventually, I guess."

"Hopefully before we get eaten." Kitt grumbled.

Michael just laughed.

/----/

AN: Hugs to everyone who's reviewed! Keep em coming! I love them.


	6. Chapter 6

**chapter six**

Connor was never supposed to have been Karr's driver. That honor had been reserved for someone else, but once Karr met her, he wanted nothing to do with the other man. He would only have Connor. The Director of the Institution had given her full responsibility of the Ferrari as a way of testing her. Connor had been forced to do repair work and regular maintenance on Karr with absolutely no instruction from the technicians. With Karr's help, she had done it and done well. The Director had 'rewarded' her by giving her to Karr. Sometimes it amazed Karr just how callous the man was towards the girl he considered to be his protégé. There had been no need to make it official and humiliate Connor.

She was already Karr's from the beginning, and it had been her choice.

Over the years, there were things Karr had learned to ask for, like reminding Connor to fill the gas tank or hassling the technicians into giving him new technology from time to time. On occasion, though, Connor would give him something that he would never actually ask for, and it would surprise and please him.

Like now. An empty parking lot on a Friday morning wasn't the most inconspicuous place to give a car a bath, especially one as flashy as Karr, but Connor had talked the owner o the shop into letting her do it. Karr relished the feel of the sponge against his skin as she washed away the grime from the previous week. For once, she was wearing shorts instead of jeans and her hair was pulled back into a simply ponytail as opposed to a braid.

Karr thought it looked good.

Connor rinsed off the hood and set the sponge back in the bucket of soap water. She took her time, making sure the hood was spotless before picking up a towel and wiping the surface dry. Karr wondered if she realized just how good that felt. Not so much the physical motions of it, although that was nice, but the fact that she cared enough to even take the time. Connor had never used one of the automatic car washes, nor would she allow anyone else to do the job. This was hers to do, just like she still did his maintenance work whenever he needed it.

On an impulse, he scanned the radio waves until he found something he thought she would like and put it through his speakers.

_Are you scared of the dark / are you afraid they'll break your heart / are you afraid you'll lose yourself / are you afraid of your own health_

She smiled her thanks as she started washing the roof of the car. "Feels that good, huh?" she teased lightly.

Karr took the bait. "If you can moan when you eat chocolate, I can play music when I'm getting a bath." he retorted. Connor laughed.

"I do not moan." she shot back with a grin. "I sigh in contentment. There's a difference."

"I made a recording if you'd like to hear it." Karr offered.

"You actually made a recording of it?" Connor chuckled. "I should roll down the windows while I'm doing this."

"You get me wet, I will eject you next time you try to race me." Karr threatened, but there was no real venom in his voice. Connor's laughter was a rare thing to hear. He was willing to demote himself to meaningless banter if it kept it around for a while longer.

_Are you scared to forgive / are you afraid to live / are you afraid to die / do you think you told a lie_

Connor hummed along with the music, a bit off-key but decent enough. Karr's engine thrummed with contentment. His driver was happy, for once the Director was leaving them to their own devices, and within twenty-four hours the arms deal would close and Connor would be free to drop off the map and join the drug ring, if she so chose. It would make a little money to add to their account, at any rate. For the moment, life was good.

_To live, when you think you're dying / to laugh when you feel like crying / to stand when you think you're gonna fall / it's just fear after all / it's only fear after all_

Michael pulled Kitt into the parking lot and chose a spot closest to the front of the jiffy store. As he slid the gear into park, he let his eyes scan the lot out of habit. He blinked. "Well, that's not something I expected to see." he murmured. Kitt scanned the lot, and Michael could have sworn he heard the AI laugh.

"What? I like getting a bath every now and again." he said smugly. Michael rolled his eyes and got out of the Trans-Am. He found a couple of cold Cokes in the old glass bottles in the back of the jiffy store, grabbed a few, and went to pay for them.

As the man behind the counter, a young lad about sixteen, counted out his change, Michael decided to ask a few questions. "Do you know the girl out there?" he asked, motioning to the parking lot. He glanced to the side and shook his head.

"No, but I wish I did." he muttered. "She is so fine."

Michael got the mental image of Connor introducing the kid to Karr, and almost started laughing. "Yeah. The car's pretty hot too." he said casually.

"I know. I'll bet her dad bought it for her." The boy was pratcially drooling now. He handed Michael his change. "Hey, if you talk to her, can you get me her number?" he asked hopefully.

Michael did laugh that time. "Not your type." He took the Cokes outside and walked over to Connor. By now she had toweled off the roof and was working on the driver's door, which meant he could talk to her without leaving Kitt's immediate line of view. He touched her shoulder, and she slowly looked up at him. He handed her one of the Cokes. "Thirsty? It's kinda hot for this kind of work."

Connor took the drink and set it down beside her. "It helps me think." she said, resuming her meticulous work on the door. She was crouched down for better access, and Karr noticed Knight taking the opportunity to check her out. He waited the full five seconds it took for Connor to notice. "If you like the view so much, maybe you should take a picture."

Michael didn't even flinch at the caustic remark. "I was wondering how you managed to afford the Ferrari when you have to charge the police just to eat." he commented.

Connor flashed him a wry grin. "You haven't seen my price."

_Are you afraid you'll be alone / are you scared to pick up the phone_

"Is it worth the services?" Michael shot back. "From what I gathered, you're just a scared little girl trying to run from the people that hurt you."

_Are you scared of the past / do you think that you might crash_

Karr wanted nothing more than to run the man over. How had he gotten that information? He had thought that Connor had made a clean break from her past with nothing to connect her to the girl she once was. Connor merely smiled. "I already have one reason to kill you, Michael Knight. Don't give me another one." Not once did she look at him. She simply resumed her work.

_To mend when you think you're breaking / to strength when you know you're shaking_

Michael took a drink of his Coke. "I almost want to ask, but I figure that's my cue to leave. I'll see you later." With that he retreated to Kitt, not willing to test the woman any more than he already had. Kitt opened the driver door for him and he dropped into the seat. "I think I hit a nerve." he commented.

Kitt laughed. "I'll say." A pause. "That really is Karr, Michael. My scanners are sure of it."

"Then whoever Connor's working for rebuilt him."

Karr watched as Kitt and Michael left. "They know." he said quietly.

Connor shrugged. "Knight won't live long enough to rat us out." she assured him. And they went back to their contented silence and Connor's hands traveled smoothly over the car.

_To pray when your back's against a wall / it's just fear after all / it's only fear after all_

/----/

AN: The song there is called Fear, done by Stop Making Friends. If you don't recognize the band, don't worry – that's the only song they have, and it's only on the NCIS soundtrack. The lead singer is Pauley Perette, the woman who plays Abby.


	7. Chapter 7

**chapter seven**

Connor was used to having blood on her hands. When the Director had taken her in, when he deemed she'd had enough training, she went back and killed the man who called himself her father. It was still a cold case, as far as she was aware. Connor was good at what she did. That was only the beginning. Working the streets of what she had come to think of as the Institute's city was not an easy task, especially not for a girl with a fancy car. She couldn't count how many times someone had tried to steal Karr, or tried to take advantage of her. Karr probably had more blood on his fender than she did. He protected her the only way he knew how.

Weapons were nothing new, but even she didn't have a collection this big. She looked around as Matthews guided her through his warehouse, studying the vast array of weaponry on the walls. Everything from flintlock pistols to Japanese katana to what appeared to be a primitive AK-47. She gave him a look, something akin to respect in her eyes. "You've been at this for a while." she said.

"Family business." Matthews said edgily. "My father loved the antiques. I prefer the modern stuff that actually works, but I couldn't sell off his collection."

"Sentimental value." Connor said vaguely.

Matthews stopped long enough to look her over. "You don't put much value on emotions, do you?" he asked.

Connor shrugged. "Never given much of a reason to." she said. "What about the Savages?"

"Getting there." He resumed his path through the massive single room to the backdoor. Connor reached up and ran her fingers through her loose hair. Loose to cover up the comm. link the cops gave her, one that wrapped around the ear instead of sitting snug and invisible just inside of the ear canal. She had traded out her usual clothes for a black wrap-skirt with camouflage spaghetti-strap and combat boots. No jewelry, as usual. Karr thought it would make her disguise complete, but Connor wasn't fond of wearing shiny things while on the job. It made it hard to hide, and the skirt was going to hamper things as it was. "So, you like to collect too?"

"My preference is sniper rifles." she said. As little information as possible. The cops were listening in. "How did you get involved in this business?"

"Family." he said simply. "Why? Thinking about getting involved?"

"Maybe." It actually wasn't a bad idea. Wholesale guns were cheap, but the individual price could be driven to extortionate rates, and if there was no competition in the area, Connor could set up a nice little shop right in her hometown. Something to consider, at any rate.

"Don't. People around here don't like newcomers on their turf." Matthews advised. He opened the back door and flipped a light switch, and suddenly Connor realized she was in deep trouble.

"Honestly, do I look dangerous enough to warrant six armed coworkers?" she asked, taking a slight step back. She was completely unarmed, but that didn't really mean much when dealing with Connor. If there was anything in the room that even had the slightest potential as a weapon, the men wouldn't stand a chance.

"_Hang on, Connor. We're sending in backup."_ the female cop in her ear assured her. Connor simply reached up and brushed at her hair, unobtrusively shutting off the comm.. They could communicate with her, but they were no longer listening in. Let them use the tape she was carrying later, if she wanted. If Matthews wasn't going to drop the bombshell she thought he was.

"I don't care." Matthews said. "I'm not taking any chances. I'm familiar with your type. Any cops come through there, and you die. Pure and simple." He took a step forward. "Hand over the money."

"Only after I get my guns." she shot back, not even fazed at the cop comment. If anyone came through the door, it wouldn't be a cop.

"_They're sending in Knight and Kitt."_ Karr reported in her other ear. _"I'm thinking it would be a good idea to play damsel in distress."_

"You think I'm that stupid?" Matthews spat. "Do you even have the money?"

No, but she wasn't going to tell him that. "I only do wire transfers." she said easily. "I wanted to make sure you weren't blowing smoke before setting up the payment."

"You should have said that before we made the deal." Matthews growled. "Get rid of her."

Six guns locked onto her. Before anyone could fire, a black Trans-Am tore through the wall behind them and knocked three of the men to the ground. Michael Knight jumped out and attacked the next one closest to him. Matthews came at Connor, a small yet deadly knife in his hands.

Connor waited until he was close enough, then knocked the knife from his hands with a perfectly executed roundhouse kick. He stumbled forward in surprise, and she took the opportunity to drive her knee into his gut. Matthews dropped to the ground, gasping for air.

Knight looked over at her from where he and Kitt had the others apprehended. "You have a knack for finding trouble." he said with an easy grin.

Connor shrugged and smiled back. "Maybe. But you have a knight in shining armor complex."

He gave her a look. "What's my name?"

"Very funny." She turned to the stash and picked up one of the Savages and a pack of ammo. Michael watched as she found a good hiding place underneath the floorboards for the items. None of the cops would ever think of looking there.

"You're a collector."

"Among other things." She looked him over, her face turning serious. "Are you going to tell on me?"

"Hey, I just saved you." Michael shot back with a grin. "I'm not going to piss you off now."

At that moment the cops showed up. Kitt watched with interest as Connor immediately fell into the role of the startled, slightly disoriented young woman the cops were expecting to deal with. Even for an investigator-for-hire, there were some things that just shook people up.

But Kitt had seen how Connor had handled Matthews. She was so far from helpless. He had asked Michael who was more dangerous – the wolf or the lover of wolves. Now he thought he had his answer. After all, no one was expecting the good girl to be allied with a being of pure evil.

/----/

Karr kept lookout as Connor retrieved the gun and the ammo. The cops had cleared everything else out and made seven arrests that day. They were happy with Connor, and paid her every penny of her twenty thousand dollar fee. All but one thousand of it went to the Institute's bank account. Karr hated it, but there was very little they could do about it.

There were plans, ideas that they both knew they shared but neither ever spoke of. Connor had her own bank account that Karr made sure the Director would never find. They had contacts the Director didn't know about, knew people that he had never heard of. When the time came, they would be able to create their own institution, their own foundation, and no one would ever be able to stop them.

Not the Director. And not Michael Knight.

Connor put the gun in the trunk and slid into the driver's seat. "A good day's work, right?" she murmured. Karr made a sound of disgust.

"I hate working with the cops."

"So do I, but I try to humor the Director." Connor fired up the engine and allowed Karr to take them back to their hotel. "You know, I wonder just how deep Kitt and Knight's relationship goes."

"Kitt protects Knight." Karr said immediately.

"But are they friends, or does Kitt just tolerate him because he has to?"

Karr hesitated on that one. "I don't know." he admitted. "It all depends on how Knight treats Kitt and what Kitt thinks of the situation. Why?"

"I was just thinking. When we take out Knight, Kitt may not be the problem we think he'll be."

"His programming won't allow it."

"His programming won't. But he might."

Karr conceded that point. After all, he was living proof that programming wasn't everything.


	8. Chapter 8

**chapter eight**

Connor had checked out of her hotel room and left Sarasota proper. They didn't go very far though, and Karr was glad. There was an opportunity in the large city. He didn't want to miss out on the fun. With no cops keeping tabs on them, Connor would be at the top of her game.

Ten minutes away from the city center was a small suburb of Sarasota. "It looks like another country." Karr murmured, sounding mildly surprised. Connor chuckled as she looked around. She had to admit, Karr had a point. Even from the car, she could see a Shinto temple at the end of the street.

"I believe this is Little Tokyo." she said with a small smile. "Like Hei's blocks back at the Institute's city, but on a much larger scale."

Karr grunted acknowledgment. He wasn't fond of Hei, the Japanese boy whose gang owned six square blocks of the Institute's city. They had done business with him on occasion, mostly an exchanging of favors. Hei was one of the few contacts they had that the Director knew nothing about. Because of Hei, Connor knew enough Japanese to get by. It looked like the skill would come in handy here, where all the signs were in kanji and he doubted anyone spoke English. After all, he couldn't keep a running translation going. Her skills, rough though they were, would leave him free to run checks on the drug ring.

Connor parked on the side of the busy street. "That does say hotel, right?" She pointed across the street.

Karr scanned the sign. "Something like that."

"They have running water?" she asked hopefully.

This time Karr couldn't keep the amusement from his voice. "Yes. And get some sleep while you're in there." Connor stroked the dash fondly. Her voice was soft when she spoke.

"Forever looking after me." she murmured.

Karr seemed to shiver at her touch. "Someone has to." He had to fight to keep his voice flat and emotionless. Connor was the only one who had that affect on him. "You would stay awake all night every night if I didn't."

Her fingers brushed over the dash one last time, and this time Karr couldn't completely suppress his reaction. She smiled at him and slid out of the car to cross the street. He kept all his scanners focused on Connor as she worked her way between pedestrians, bikes, and the occasional slow-moving car.

Sometimes he swore she did that on purpose.

Connor made her way to the lobby. She rapped on the window to get the old woman's attention and politely requested a room. The woman nodded and slid a tarnished brass key under a little slot in the window, like what they used at ticket booths in theaters.

"_Hachi._" she said and pointed left down the row building.

Connor bowed. _"Arigato."_ She slid a ten under the window and headed down the row until she reached the door labeled with a brass eight. Her beaten-up leather satchel was slung over one shoulder and full of the items she needed.

Some of the more exotic items had been stolen. Most of it had been paid for. Connor doubted the cops would trace petty shoplifting back to the woman who had helped take down an arms dealer.

The room was small, a ten-by-ten bedroom with a bedroll and a lamp, and a five-by-three bathroom with a small square shower that promised only cold water and a sink without a mirror. No toilet, but that would have been too homey. This was obviously only a brief stopping point for a longer journey. If you needed a toilet, you'd have to go somewhere else. She smiled to herself and dropped the bag by the bedroll.

Not the Holiday Inn she'd been staying at, but it would do. Time to get moving.

/----/

Karr woke Connor when his sensors told him she'd been asleep for two hours. He had to wait another sixty minutes before she was ready to leave. "What is taking you so long?" he hissed.

Connor's tired laugh crackled over the comm. link. _"It takes effort to look the part. I want them to trust me."_

"Why?"

"_More money that way."_ A pause. _"I'm ready, but don't you dare laugh."_

Now she had his attention. He waited until she was across the street before turning his scanners on her.

She wore a denim mini-skirt with fishnet stockings. Calf-high black leather boots with buckles and zippers down the sides and heels that were at least three inches high. A thin-strapped corset with the kanji for _fire_ embroidered down the front and fishnet sleeves. She wore only the barest hint of makeup and her hair was pulled back in a simple yet elegant bun.

She was also heavily armed with concealed knives, but that was to be expected with the area of the city they were going into. She would also have a gun at one hip by the time they got there.

"What do you think?" Connor asked.

Karr knew what she meant, but only one word came to mind.

"Stunning."

She smiled. "Thank you." She slid into the driver's seat and Karr guided them onto the busy street. "Tell me everything you found out about the drug dealers, including how they pick their workers."

"They usually don't use females to deal drugs." Karr warned her. "All the females they pay turn tricks for them."

Connor's expression darkened. "I'll just have to make sure they don't get the wrong idea then, won't I?" she murmured.

"Don't you think you picked the wrong dress code for that?"

"Not for my cover story." she said with a grin. "I'm a young street walker trying to get out of the business. This is all I have to wear. They'll have to pay me if they want me to dress appropriately."

Karr chuckled. "I like it." He hesitated. "The cops are assigning Knight to take out the drug ring. He'll recognize you."

"He might recognize Connor." she said. "But Aislin won't recognize him. Not at all. Aislin's never been to the right part of the city. She avoids cops like the plague. He must be mistaking her for someone else."

Connor really had thought of everything. It would be up to Karr to make sure Knight didn't blow her cover and make them think she was a cop. That really wouldn't be good.


	9. Chapter 9

**chapter nine**

The Alley Cats were really nothing more than a group of scrappy, impressionable teenage boys following the lead of one dangerous adult. Brian Adam, Bear to his friends and followers, was a mountain of a man even at the tender age of twenty-nine. He had dark hair he kept short, clear blue eyes, and always wore motorcycle leathers even though he never owned a bike. He operated out of the warehouse district of Sarasota, dealing in drugs, stolen property, and sex. The warehouse he had claimed as his had enough furnishings to be considered homey and enough merchandize to put him away for life.

Bear eyed his boys for a moment, a set of blond-haired twins who had been on patrol, before turning his focus to the girl standing between them. "Who is this?"

"Said she wanted to talk to you." one boy said.

Bear looked her over and shrugged. "Sorry kid." he said. "I don't like Goths. One of my boys might."

The girl glared at him. "I'm not here to turn tricks for you." she snapped. "I'm here to make a deal."

"What deal is that?"

"I'll push your drugs. In return, I want 40% of what I make." She crossed her arms over her chest. Bear noticed the Glock riding her hip like she was born for it. "I've done my research. It's a reasonable offer."

"It is." Bear said slowly. "Why do you want a job with me?" The girl shrugged.

"I'm sick of turning tricks." she said bluntly. "It doesn't pay half of what it's worth, and I don't really want to get an STD. I'm just passing through, but I need some cash for the next city."

Bear nodded. "I'll give you a few odd jobs." he said. "And you'll get 40%. But first, you have to tell me your name." And then he'd run a check on her to make sure she wasn't a cop.

The girl smiled. "I'm Aislin."

He gave her a look. "That's not your real name." There was no way that girl was Irish.

She shrugged. "Don't remember my real name." she said. "I'm called Aislin. Take it or leave it."

Bear nodded and shook her hand. "Aislin it is. Welcome to the Alley Cats."

/---/

"Did they hire you?"

Connor nodded as she climbed into the Ferrari. "I'm officially on the payroll for a few jobs at 40%." she informed him.

Karr considered that. "It's kind of low, but I'll take it." he allowed. "I wonder how much his stash is actually worth. We could make a killing."

"Depends on what I'm selling." Connor said with a grin. "But we're definitely selling stash." Karr seemed to relax at that. Connor laughed. "I told you I wouldn't let him get the wrong idea." she reminded him.

"I'm entitled to a little paranoia." Karr shot back. "After all, neither of us has a good track record with humans."

Connor nodded. "That's why we have each other." A pause, then, "Speaking of, are Knight and Kitt on your scanners?"

"Down on the other side of the warehouses." Karr informed her. "Are we finishing this now?"

"Most definitely." Connor said darkly, and pressed her foot down on the accelerator. Karr seemed to smile at her.

/---/

Michael knelt down next to the body and heaved a sigh. Bad enough to come down to the basement of an old warehouse because Kitt detected a human. Michael figured it would be some homeless person. But a dead teenager was something else entirely. It turned Michael's stomach. "I'm thinking drug overdose." he told Kitt. His partner's voice sounded a bit staticky over the comm. link.

"_Heroin, to be exact."_ Kitt informed him. _"But I think he had some help."_

"You're right." Michael murmured. "There's bruising on his knuckles where he fought back." He hesitated. "No prints?"

"_None. This was a professional job."_ Kitt suddenly cut himself off. _"Michael, I'm picking up Karr on my scanners, but I can't find Connor!"_

Michael felt his gut clench. "She's already down here with me." He turned around. Connor didn't have her gun drawn, but that didn't mean she wasn't dangerous. Michael was trembling with barely concealed rage. "Did you kill him?"

"No." Connor said quietly. "He was just convienent. I found him and knew you would have to come down and investigate." She shrugged. "You looked shocked. People die every day, Knight. There's nothing special about this."

"He was murdered."

She snorted. "Even less so."

"What do you want?!"

"I told you I was going to kill you." she said simply. "Have you told FLAG about us?"

He grimaced. "Not yet." He hadn't been able to – a storm had taken out all communications at the Foundation headquarters.

She smiled. "Good." With that she drew a switchblade.


	10. Chapter 10

**chapter ten**

Michael started to take a step back. Connor smiled, and he froze. He didn't often find people who enjoyed killing. Usually he could pick them out of a crowd. They were the ones that everyone seemed to instinctively avoid – the ones who walked down the street in their own personal bubble because no one would get close enough to them. He hadn't pegged Connor for one of them, but her smile spoke volumes. She was going to kill him, and she was going to enjoy watching him die. His mouth went dry. She walked forward until she was close enough to press the switchblade to his throat. Clever girl she was, she had him backed up against a wall. Briefly, he wondered why she was dressed like a prostitute, but all thoughts fled from his mind as she started to speak.

"I want you to understand something." Connor said quietly. "This was never Karr's idea. If he had his way, we wouldn't be down here right now. But I happen to care for Karr, and you and the Foundation hurt him." Her voice was starting to shake, but the switchblade remained steady against his skin. "I don't want him to be hurt again. So I really want to kill you."

Michael's mind was reeling. "You care for _Karr?_" he demanded.

Connor shrugged. "You care for Kitt."

"That's different!"

She sighed in exasperation. "Of course it is. Kitt can't kill, so he is good and therefore worthy of loyalty. Karr has killed, and will continue to kill, so he is evil and worthy of punishment." Her sarcasm cut Michael to his soul. "You need to understand – I never learned right and wrong. There was only what got me hurt and what didn't. And Karr never hurt me."

He thought about pointing out that she was monologueing, and all the villains got caught like that. But he wasn't sure who the villain was anymore, and he had no doubt Connor could still kill him without a second thought. All he could do was play her game and hope Kitt came to his rescue. "So why haven't you killed me yet?"

Her head tilted to the side as she considered him. "I have a question for you. And I want the truth. Don't worry – I'm not going to ask you anything about the Foundation. I'm not that stupid." Although it probably wouldn't hurt to kill Devon Miles as well. Michael seemed to read the thought going through her mind even as she thought it. His eyes widened. She was insane.

"Why?"

"I'm going to kill you anyway." Connor pointed out dryly. "What's the point in lying?"

She had a point. "What do you want to know?"

"Who owns you?"

/---/

Kitt wanted to scream. There was no way he could bust down the door and get to Michael. The entire warehouse would cave in on them. The game was in Connor's hands, and he _hated it._ So he rocked back and forth on his wheels, trying to figure out some way of helping his driver.

"You don't have to worry." Before Kitt could react, Karr pulled in behind him, effectively boxing him in. "Connor will make it painless."

"He'll still be dead!" Kitt shot back, a note of panic in his voice.

Karr didn't seem to be affected. "You're helpless right now. Foundation would understand that." he said smoothly. "You could let Knight die, if you wanted."

"I don't want him to die!" Kitt shouted, unable to do anything else. "He's my friend!"

Karr hesitated. "Then it's up to Knight now." he murmured. He stayed where he was, but Kitt was now frozen in shock. What was going on?

/---/

Michael gave her an odd look. "You're going to have to ask it differently." he said finally. "I wasn't raised like you were. I had a home – I know right from wrong. Speak my language."

Connor snorted. "What? Think love and warm fuzzies?" There was a note of disgust in her voice, but he could tell she was taking his words to heart. "You have rules that you live by – lines that you don't cross." she said slowly. "Who would you break all the rules for? Who means so much to you that even your moral code can't stand up to them?"

This time Michael didn't hesitate. "Kitt."

The answer was so simple, but Michael couldn't tell if that's what she was hoping for or if she was disappointed in his response. After all, she had wanted to kill him. She drew the switchblade away and took a step back. "Then, for the sake of Kitt, you get to live. For now."

"Why?"

"Because I know what it's like to live when no one cares." With that she turned to walk away. A voice from Michael's omm.. link stopped her.

"_Thank you, Connor."_

She smiled slightly. "You should be thanking him, Kitt." Before she could leave again, Michael spoke up. His head was tilted to the side, something akin to understanding in his eyes.

"Who owns you?"

A full grin crossed her face. "Karr."

/---/

Karr remembered the first time he met Connor, when a nameless twelve-year-old girl had snuck into the garage, searching for a way to end her life. Karr couldn't blame her. There was no point in living if you were living alone. He had opened his door to her, opened _himself_ to her. He had given her a reason to live, and she gave him a reason to exist.

Connor climbed into the driver's seat and they took off, leaving just before Michael exited the warehouse. Karr was the one to break the silence. "What next?"

"Next we deal for Street Cats." Connor said with a smile. "Then it's back to the Institute, where we hope the Director didn't find out about this."

Karr seemed to growl. "The Director won't hurt you again."

Connor shrugged. "He will. But not for much longer. This has to end, one way or another."

Karr sighed. He was afraid this was going to end with Connor's death.

**The End**

An: Another story down and out for the count! I know I said this was part one, but chances are, there will not be a sequel. I haven't been getting as many reviews as I would have liked (in fact, I've hardly gotten any) and there are other stories I can work on. So, if you really want a sequel, I need four reviews saying you want one. Just let me know you're still reading this.

Until next time, I remain yours truly,

Shadowblade-tara


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